Centrifugal machine and process



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FREDERICK w. KE|TH,JR. BY

ATTORNEY April 29, 1952 F. W. KEITH, JR

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE vAND PROCESS Filed Oct. 23, 1946 FIGI Patented Apr.29, 1952 CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE AND PROCESS Frederick W. Keith, Jr.,Haverford, Pa., assignor to The Sharples Corporation, a corporation ofDelaware Application October 23, 1946, Serial No. 705,121

. 10 Claims.

This invention relates to the separation of the constituents of anintimate mixture, suchl as an emulsion, through the application ofcentrifuga-l force.

Although it is well known that centrifugal machines and processes areefcacious in separating constituents from mixtures of liquids and fromliquid-solid mixtures, it has been difficult or impossible in manyinstances to effect successful centrifugal separation of intimatelymixed materials such as emulsions of oil and water and suspensions offine solids in liquid. Consequently more expensive and more troublesomemeans, such as the addition of chemical agents, or other special andrelatively costly procedures, have been adopted in cases in which theseparation could not be effected by conventional centrifugation.

An object of this invention is to provide a mechanical adjunct tocentrifugal force which will enhance the value of centrifugal means inseparating the constituents of intimate mixtures.

Another object is to provide a centrifugal process for the separation ofthe constituents of intimate mixtures which is more effective in causingsuch separation than processes heretofore available.

A further object is to furnish a centrifugal machine which willsatisfactorily separate and separately discharge the constituents ofintimate mixtures such as emulsions.

Additional objects will be apparent after reading the followingspecification in the light of the attached drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a centrifugal separator with partsbroken awa;7 and parts illustrated in section to show the feature of theinvention, and

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating application of the invention toa centrifugal bowl of a different type.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the emulsion or mixture to betreated is fed to a centrifuge I through the stationary conduit II. Froma nozzle I2 the liquids are discharged into a rotating bowl or rotor I3of the centrifuge. The liquids impinge on a plate I4 which deects themoutwardly toward the periphery of the rotor I3. Situated between an openinner chamber I6 and a wall I5 of the rotor in the path of the deflectedliquids is a bed of glass fibers or other fibrous material I1. Undercentrifugal force the liquids pass through this bed I1 onto the wall I5.The inflow. of liquids forces the liquids along the wall of the rotortowards the top of the machine. Centrifugal force acting on the liquidsas they pass along this wall carries the heavier liquid to the outside'forcing the lighter liquid toward lthe center. The liquids, thusseparated, are separately discharged through conduits I8 (for thelighter liquid) and I9 (for the heavier liquid).

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2, the material to betreated is fed from a chamber 20 into a feedsection 2| of a rapidlyrotating centrifugal rotor 22. Under centrifugal force, the liquids flowfrom the feed section 2I toward an inner wall 23 of the rotor. A bed ofglass fibers 24 is placed in the path from the feed section to the wall.The liquids pass through this bed 24 under centrifugal force and outthrough ports 25 into the main separating chamber 2B of the rotor. Aftercentrifugation to separate the heavier liquid from the lighter liquid,the heavier liquid is discharged from the rotor through the annularopening 21, and the lighter liquid is discharged through the annularopening 2B.

The bed of fibrous material, preferably glass ber, when inserted insideof a centrifugal rotor is preferably in the form of a. loosely wovenmat. Multiple thicknesses of woven glass clOth may be used to build upsuch a mat.

The full reason for the action of glass fibers in aiding a centrifuge toseparate the constituents of intimate mixtures is unsettled. If the bedof fibers is properly inserted in the feed section of the centrifugalbowl there is some evidence that it is effective in creating moredesirable flow conditions for the liquid during its passage into therotor. These flow conditions at the entry are critical, and the benefitsobtained in improvement of such conditions doubtless contribute to theeffectiveness of the fibers in facilitating centrifugation. However,greater benefits than would appear to be attributable to this factoralone are obtained when the fiber bed is inserted in the centrifuge, andI do not therefore wish to be limited to any theory as to theeffectiveness of the invention.

Various modifications are available to the person skilled in the art,and I do not therefore wish to be limited except by the scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

l. The process of separating from a liquid a material intimately mixedtherewith, which comprises introducing the mixture into the center of arotating zone, centrifugally forcing said mixture from said central zoneof relatively low sion into the center of a rotating zone, centrifugallyforcing said mixture from said central zone of relatively lowcentrifugal force radially outwardly through a zone of fibrous materialinto a zone of relatively high centrifugal force, sub- `iecting saidemulsion to further centrifugation to separate said oil from said water,and separately discharging said oil and said water.

8. A centrifugal machine for separating emulsions and the like,comprising a rotor, means for feeding a liquid to a central zone in saidrotor,

walls defining a separation zone around the ininto the center of arotating zone, centrifugally forcing said liquids from said central zoneof relatively low centrifugal force radially outwardly through a zone ofbrous material into a zone of relatively high centrifugal force,subjecting said liquids to further centrifugation to separate saidliquids from each other, and separately discharging said liquids.

5. The process of separating aliquid emulsion into its component parts,which comprises introducing the emulsion into the center of a rotatingzone, centrifugally forcing said emulsion from said central zone ofrelatively low centrifugal force radially outwardly through a zone offibrous material into a zone of relatively high centrifugal force,subjecting said emulsion to further centrifugation to separate saidemulsion into its component parts, and separately discharging saidcomponent parts.

6. The process of separating a liquid-liquid emulsion into its componentparte, which comprises introducing the emulsion into the center of arotating zone, centrifugally forcing said emulsion from said centralZone of relatively low centrifugal force radially outward through a zoneof fibrous material into a zone of relatively high centrifugal force,subjecting said emusion to further centrifugation to separate saidliquids from each other, and separatenT discharging said liquids.

7. The process of separating an oil-in-water emulsion, which comprisesintroducing the emulner periphery of said rotor and radially spaced fromthe central, iced zone, and a bed of fibrous material carried by therotor, said bed ybeing located between the central feed zone and thesepalration zone whereby liquid fed to the feed zone is centrifugallyforced outwardly through the bed.

9. A centrifugal machine in accordance with claim 3, in which the bed isformed of glass fibers. 10. A centrifugal machine in accordance withclaim 8, in which the bed is formed of a woven mat of glass bers.

FREDERICK W. KEITH, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

